Summary
Nazareth lawyer (1886–1975) elected second on Sayf al-Din al-Zu’bi’s Nazareth Democratic list to the first Knesset, whom Manna singles out against the generalisation that Mapai-list Arab MKs were agents of the authorities: Jarjura held independent, critical positions in and outside the Knesset, was dropped from the list’s top in 1951 for it, and served as mayor of Nazareth from 1954 to 1959 (Nakba and Survival, PDF p.260-262).
Details
- Jarjura was one of three Arabs in the first Knesset, and one of its two Christians; the three were northern urbanites, reflecting Haifa and the Galilee’s demographic centre of gravity among the Remainers (Nakba and Survival, PDF p.259-260). He had been elected no. 2 on the Nazareth slate alongside Sayf al-Din al-Zu’bi, yet voiced quite distinct political positions, and Manna calls him well educated by the standards of the days after the Nakba (Nakba and Survival, PDF p.261).
- In his first speech in February 1949 he stressed that justice and equality should be the basis for the state’s treatment of Arab citizens (Nakba and Survival, PDF p.260).
- In the June 1949 Knesset debate on refugees and the Right of Return, he said the refugees had been driven from their homes “under conditions of fear and terrorism and the disproportionate use of direct and indirect violence”, asked “If the Jewish people have retained their right in Palestine, including the right to live there, for two thousand years, why do the Arab refugees not have the right to return to their lands and cities and villages?”, and rebutted Foreign Minister Sharett’s claim by noting the expulsions from Haifa, Jaffa, Tiberias, Acre and Bisan took place before 15 May 1948 (Nakba and Survival, PDF p.261).
- On the eve of the second elections in June 1951 he called Nazareth’s takeover an “occupation” from the Knesset podium — a note Manna says was unheard of even from Maki’s leaders; Mapai did not place him high on al-Zu’bi’s 1951 slate, ensuring his non-election, and he was replaced as the Christians’ representative by Mas’ad Qassis of Mi’lya (Nakba and Survival, PDF p.261).
- He remained active after 1951 and was elected mayor of Nazareth in 1954, serving until 1959; Manna calls him a noble example reminiscent of the pre-Nakba Palestinian elite, quite different from al-Zu’bi (Nakba and Survival, PDF p.261-262).
- Part 8 adds the 1954 mayoral election’s circumstances: in the Nazareth municipal elections of 12 April 1954 the authorities procrastinated and used threats, even physical violence from Sayf al-Din al-Zu’bi’s supporters, but the authority-connected camp could not form a council coalition without Maki’s six members, and Jarjura was elected mayor in July 1954 (Nakba and Survival, PDF p.281).
- His replacement as the Christians’ representative in the second and third Knessets was Mas’ad Qassis of Mi’lya, brought back from Lebanon by Bishop Hakim (Nakba and Survival, PDF p.261, 272).